Friction-clutch.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

L. S. CLARKE.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2,1903.

no. roast a liijjlhlll'lllhlll harriiiriss "Patented July t,

arnrv r lllljlrricia FJPlElOltFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 'l il'o. '?93,919, dated July t, 1905.

Application filed April 2, 1903. Serial No. 150,799.

Be it known that l, Louis S. Cmnun, a citizen oi the United States, residing at llitVOF- ford, in the county of htlontgomery, titate ol .l ennsylwmia, have ii'ivented certain new and useful li'nprovemcnts in Frietioirtllutches, oi which the following is a specii'ication.

This invention relates to an improvement in friction clutches, and it has for its object to provide a clutch sinnple in construction, ellicien t in operation, and also one which may be economically man i'i'lactured.

'llhe im 'irovement resides in the combination and arrangement oi the parts as herein after described and specifically pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is aside elevation of the clutch, and

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 2 52, Figure l.

As illustrated, the clutch mechanism is shown as applied for the [)L'llpOSO oi connecting the adjacent ends of two shafts so as to cause them to rotate simultaneously and as a single shaft.

in the drawii'igs,

l desigi'iates a shaft upon a reduced end of which ismounted a flywheel 2, the inner side of which provided with a (lPpi'OSSlOll 3 which is surrounded by an annular wall l. The said liy wheel is secured to the end oi the shaft by means of the out 5 and the jam not (i as clearly shown in Figure 2.

A portion 7 of the reduced end of the shaft 1 extends into the adjacent open end oi the shaft 8 and terms a support therefor, the open end of the said shalt 8 being provided with a lining 9 of suitable bearingmaterial Eiccured upon the inner side of the annular wall 4t is an annulus or ring 10 which fits snugly within the said wall and is secured to rotate with the said liy wheel 2 by means of pins l1, which project inwardly through the annular wall a integral with and forming part oi said i'ly wheel, the inner ends oi said pins projecting into slots 12 cut into and across the annulus or ring 10.

13 designates aseries ol :lriction plugs providcd in the annulus or ring 10, which con-- sistsi'i'l cork or other materiah the purpose of said plugs being to increase the frictional elli ciency of the said annulus or ring. Only two of these plugs are shown, but it is to be understood that any desirable number may be provided in the said annulus.

by securing the annulus or ring 10 to the fly wheel 2 in the manner shown, a slight relative lateral movement between the said ring and the fly wheel is permitted, which is very desirable in the operation of the device For the reason that the shafts l and 8 Frequently assume slightly angular relations. Especially is this the case where the shalt is a power transmission shaft extending from an (:llgllill) or motor located at the front of a motor vohicle to the rear axle cl such vehicle.

Rigidly mounted upon the shaft 8 and rotatiug therewith, is a disk i l, the outer pcsaid annulus or ring l0, and is adapted to be forced against the adjacent side oi the said annulus or ring. The disk it and the clamping-plate iii are respectiwly provided with strengtheuing ribs I? and 18.

Also slidably mounted upon the said shal't h and rotating therewith, is a sleeve ill provided with three sets oi lugs Ll), as clearly shown in l igure l of thodrawings, to which are pivotally secured at Ll links 22 extending radially outwardly the outer ends ol said links being pivotally connected at .23 30 the outer ends oi the horizontally and loi'igitudinally extending arms 52 i: ol a bell crank lever .llhe sliding oi? the sleeve i9 is occasioned by any suitable means, not shown.

The other arm ol said bell crank lever extends radially and in a direction substain tially ntraliel to the direction of the links 22, as indicated in Figure 2 ol? the drawings, the said arm 2-6 being arranged in proximity to the outcrside oi the a nuula r clamping plate l6.

2? is a thumb screw havingscrew-threzuled engagement with the arm 26 oil. the bell crank lever and is adapted to i'icscrcwed in and out in a well understood manner and is 'lor the purpose of controlling the clamping force of the clamping plate 16 against the annulus 10. The inner ends of the thumb screws 27 are located in contact with the clamping plate 16 and transmit the force of the bell crank lever to said plate. 28 is a jam nut for the purpose of retaining the thumb screw in the de-.

sired position.

In Figure 2, the parts are shown in operative position with the annulus or ring firmly clamped between the clamping members and 16. It will be observed upon examination of Figure 2, that the pivotal connection 21 between the links 22 and the lugs upon the slidable member is located to the right of a vertical line passing through the center of the pivots 23.

By this means, when the slidable member is moved to the position which it occupies in Figure2 of the drawings, the parts are locked in such position as will be readily understood.

It is to be understood that when the parts of the device are not in operative position, that is to say, when the slidable sleeve 19 is moved to the left upon the shaft 8, and the said shaft is not rotating, the clamping mem bers 15 and 16 should not be and are not in contact with the annulus or ring 10. For the purpose of holding the said clamping members out of contact with the said annulus or ring 10, at such time, the spring plates 29 are provided which are secured to the disk 1a in the manner shown.

It will be understood that the shaft 1 and the fly wheel 2 mounted thereon, and the annulus or ring 10 carried upon the fly wheel, are constantly rotating and that the shaft 8 is normally stationary. to the shaft 1, the slidable sleeve 19 is moved by any suitable means, not shown, to the position shown in Figure 2, in which position the clamping members 15 and 16 will firmly clamp or grasp the annulus or ring 10, and thus, through the fly wheel 2 and the disk 1 1, the said shafts are secured together and compelled to rotate in unison.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- To secure the shaft 8 1. In a clutch mechanism, in combination, a rotatable annulus, a series of friction plugs of suitable material secured upon said annulus, circular friction clamping members located on opposite sides of said annulus, a bell crank pivoted upon a stationary support in proximity to one of said clamping members, one arm of said bell crank extending parallel and adjacent to one of said clamping members, an adjustable device secured to said arm and adapted to contact with but which is not connected to the clamping member last mentioned, a link pivotally connected to the other arm of said bell crank, means for movingsaid link about its pivot to operate the bell crank, and plate springs for moving and holding one of the friction clamping members away from the said annulus, substantially as described.

2. In a clutch mechanism, in combination, a rotatable shaft, a fly wheel mounted thereon to rotate therewith, and provided with a depression upon one side thereof, an annular wall integral with the fly wheel and surrounding said depression, an annulus or ring in the said depression provided with transverse slots in its peripheral edge, pins extending through said annular wall and into said slots, clamping members located upon the opposite sides of said annulus or ring, and plate sprin s for holding one of said clamping members out of contact with the said annulus or ring, and means for occasioning a clamping action of said clamping members, said means comprising a bell crank pivot-ally supported and having one of its arms adjacent to one of said clamping members, the said arm being provided with an adjustable device adapted to contact with the outer face of the adjacent clamping member, but which is not connected thereto, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 18th day of March. A. D. 1903.

LOUIS S. CLARKE.

In presence of THOMAS SHIELDS CLARKE, Janus KING CLARKE. 

